Mystery Cat
by iq battle winner
Summary: Richard had no idea just what one daredevil of a yellow tiger striped adolescent tom cat would lead him into. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**For anyone wondering Kidnapped is still on the shelf right now. That started as an edit of two older (her very first actually) stories by rlm. I had her input up to the point she was too ill to work on it any longer. Now that she is feeling better as far as I'm concerned it is best left until we both find the time to get together to finish it. In the meantime I've been mulling over an idea for awhile.**

**I've watched my cousin rlm (raven lynn morrigan) read every book in "The Cat Who" series while she's been recovering from all her ailments. I picked one up once just to see what all the fuss was about over them. It was the one that dealt with the subject of UFOs over the course of a cat solving a murder mystery...not exactly my taste in reading material...but I was inspired to at least try my hand at a mystery of my own. A little buddy that I know rlm misses greatly passed on from feline leukemia back in December of last year. He was a brave little guy that held on as long as he did, I think, souly because he knew that rlm was very down from her long illness and needed him at the time. This is for that little tiger as much as it is for rlm.**

**RIP Nitro-13 Dec 2010.**

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><p>The Mystery Cat<p>

Nightwing perches on the edge of a roof overlooking the city. Its been a long night-the heavy snowfall seems to have kept the criminal element at bay for the night. He scans the city for any sign of trouble before heading back to his pent house and his dull boring alter ego as Richard Grayson.

The cat looks down from its perch in the shadows at the dark hero. Its him the one he has been looking for. He follows the masked hero as he jumps from rooftop to rooftop.

Nightwing finds himself longing, as he slips through the vent into a secret back room, for his lost youth when he lived with the titans as Robin all of the time. Those days have long since passed now. He hasn't seen any of his old teammates since they split up. He changes out of the Nightwing uniform and into plain clothes then opens the door that leads out into his apartment. Pulling his long hair back into a pony tail as he leaves the room he makes sure the hidden passage is locked.

The cat stops sizing up this last jump its a long one. He might just be able to make it but barely. He could climb all the way down this building and up the next but these are two big buildings and he is only one little cat out alone on a snowy night in a strange city. As the charm on the collar around his neck jingles in the breeze he decides to make a jump for it.

Now alone as Richard, he thinks about just turning in early as snow begins coming down harder than before. He starts to turn out the light when he hears a commotion akin to a screaming banshee out on the balcony. He opens the door cautiously at first but doesn't see anything until he looks up to see two little legs and a tail hanging down from the roof. He's quick to realize its a cat about to take a plunge into the street below. Cats might always land on their feet but a fall from this height he doubts even a cat could survive. He shuffles out onto the balcony carefully not to slip in the snow and fall down with the cat. He reaches the cat just as it slips off the snowy roof.

The cat looks around a bit bewildered at first as it drops into two warm hands. He looks up the mask is gone now but this is clearly the one he has been searching long and hard for.

"What's a little guy like you doing out on the roof in this snow storm? Are you lost?"

The cat longs for a telepathic connection like that which he shared with his mistress. He has to make this one understand help is needed and quickly before he ends up in another pound. He dashes out of the man's hands and through the open door. The cat looks around and rushes toward the back. He pounces on the bookshelf dragging down a fake book in the lower corner that opens a hidden passage.

Richard rushes in after the cat just in time to see the passage way open and a flash of yellow dash inside. He finds the cat pawing at the wall below a framed picture of the once teen titans. He is more amused than annoyed that out of all the people who have been up here a cat happens upon the hidden room. "Hey there kitty...its okay...calm down...and lets see who your owners are."

As he's picked up the cat swipes at the picture on the wall knocking it askew. He howls in protest as he is carried from the room.

He pauses in the doorway as he finally gets hold of the struggling cats collar and looks at his tags. "Nitro...interesting name you have there." Richard turns the tag over but there is no address or even a phone number on the back. The second tag is blank on one side but he almost drops the cat when he turns it over.

The cat stops struggling and howling once the man looks at the second tag.

That symbol...he saw it everyday for several years without ever really paying attention to it. He carries the cat back over to the picture on the wall and looks up at it. It is a little blurry in the picture but it is the same one. He looks down at the cat. "You belong to Raven?" A sudden chill and overwhelming sense of dread comes over him as the phone rings out in another room.


	2. Chapter 2

**The chapters are short I realize that, but I only have very short periods to work on this at any given time. One full typed page is about all I can manage to crank out.**

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><p>Raven struggles to open her eyes as she hears voices nearby. The sedatives she has been pumped full of keep her just barely conscious. She is very weak right now from having so much blood drawn...so very weak...she isn't sure how much longer she can hold on.<p>

"If you wish to continue the research we must wait until she recovers. She will die if anymore blood is taken...and all her secrets will be lost with her."

"Then make sure she is sedated so that she does not escape. She is much too valuable to let slip through our fingers."

The cat jumps down from Richard's arms as he approaches the phone.

Richard picks up the phone a bit hesitantly. "Hello."

"Hello, my I speak with Mr. Richard Grayson?"

"I'm Richard Grayson."

"I'm Srgt. Maddox calling from the Jump City PD because you are listed as the emergency contact for Miss Rachel Roth."

"Rachel Roth?" He looks down as he hears the charms on the cat's collar jingle. He realizes that the person is talking about Raven. "Rachel...yeah...wow. Its been a very long time since we last saw each other. Is she okay? Did something happen?"

"All we know at this point is that she has been missing for several weeks. A neighbor reported the cat throwing a fit next door for several days in a row and what animal control found at the scene leads us to believe that Miss Roth was abducted. At this point we have no leads everyone that knew her says they can't think of anyone who might want to hurt her. I was wondering if you might know of anyone like that from her past that could give us a break in the case."

Richard could name lots of people out to get Raven...but how many of them would know her as Rachel Roth is the question. "I want to help in anyway that I can. I would like to come to Jump City and meet in person if that is okay."

"I can make arrangements-

"-No need. I can take the Wayne Tech jet."

"If you wish. We will be grateful for any help that you can give us. Miss Roth was very well liked in the community."

"I will be there very soon and I may be able to put you in touch with someone that might know more than me." Richard looks down at the cat. "By the way where is the cat now?"

"He is being cared for at the local pound. Would you like to take him in?"

"To tell you the truth I think he just showed up at my doorstep. Yellow male with tiger strips and has the name Nitro on charm of his collar...some sort of bird picture on the other."

"Yes that sounds just like him...but how could have traveled all the way to Bludhaven from here?"

Raven tries to shy away from the swab of alcohol that is rubbed against her arm. "No more please..." She fights against the restraining straps that hold her down to the bed but to no avail.

"Sorry, Rachel...bosses orders. I must admit that I was quite skeptical of his claims at first...but after studying your biochemistry...I have never seen anything like it." He pauses before giving her the injection. "What are you some sort of alien?"

Raven finally manages to open her eyes and fixes the scientist with the coldest glare she can manage in her drugged and weakened state. "If you ever forget a dose of those drugs, just once then, I won't hesitate to show you what I really am." Darkness soon drags Raven down into its depths as more sedatives are injected into her system. Her last thoughts are of Nitro.


	3. Chapter 3

**Many thanks to all those who have reviewed this story. rlm has seen this story and informs me that she made a wallpaper inspired by part of this chapter. It is strange just how closely it matches what I had in mind when writing that section. If you would like to see it I haved posted a link to it on my profile page.**

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><p>Nitro looks up at Richard meowing sadly as he hangs up the phone. He can sense his mistress' growing distress.<p>

Richard looks down at the cat. "Did Raven send you all this way to let me know she is in trouble?" He watches as the cat looks up at him with a sad little pout. "You could communicate with her...maybe not in words but at least through feelings right? You want to help now but you can't talk to me like you could to her huh? Don't worry we will find her...I promise."

He meows a bit more hopeful this time as Richard picks up the phone again.

"One more call...and a little packing then we'll be on our way." Richard waits for someone to pick up at the local office of Wayne Tech. "This is Grayson...have the jet fueled and waiting. I have to make an emergency trip to Jump City ASAP."

The cat follows Richard into the hidden room where he begins his packing for this trip.

Richard looks down as he gathers his gear to find the cat staring up at the picture of the team on the wall. He finds himself wondering what became of all the others and out of all of them just why this cat came to him and not one of them. "She and I used to have a bond." Richard jumps startled as he answers his slient musings.

Nitro turns looking up Richard.

"I guess its faded with time and distance...I should have known she was in trouble though. I should have sensed it somehow." He mentally retraces his steps over the last few weeks looking for any sign no matter how small that he may have missed.

The cat can't tell him that she could only muster the strength to reach one of them and she is much to far away from the young man to reach him...it was all she could do he fears to open his cage at the pound with her powers to let him out when she instructed him to find the one time Robin.

Darkness all around, cold, infinate, yet suffocating at the same time. Raven finds herself falling through the bottomless abyss. She would give anything to at least be safetly on one of the floating asteroids of her dark mindscape. She screams in frustration as she is unable to summon her powers to end this nightmare. A part of her would even rather be dead and damned to the fiery pits of hell than falling through this neverending void. Was this what happened to Dr. Light she wonders. If so she can understand why he became so terrified of her. Falling, falling, always falling if she ever makes it out of this she is sure that she would never be able to use her powers of levitation for flight again in fear of falling.

Richard looks down at the cat as he becomes frantic again. "You feel her don't you?" Richard realizes that the cat shares what he once did with Raven. He wishes his connection with his friend were still that strong. He has a feeling that finding her isn't going to be so easy. "If you can somehow make her hear you then let her know that we are coming to find her."

The cat calms gazing up at Richard a moment before closing his eyes and bowing his head.

Raven cries out suddenly as the sensation of falling ceases. For the first time she dares to hope this will finally end as she senses Nitro has found Robin and they are coming for her.

He looks down at the cat who seems to be in a trance now. Richard picks him up along with his gear and locks the hidden room. He throws the gear along with some clothes into a suitcase. To avoid the problem of getting out of a building that doesn't allow pets, Richard takes the shortcut down the fire escape and hails a cab.


	4. Chapter 4

**If you think a cat bunny hopping down stairs is strange...you are not alone. The real Nitro had many odd quirks which included stalking, attacking, wresting, and ultimately getting tangled up in any towel hanging up in the bathroom.**

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><p>Several hours later Richard exits the Wayne Tech jet in Jump City where he is met by police Srgt Maddox.<p>

"Mr. Grayson, I'm glad you could make it on such short notice."

"I just hope that I can be of help."

Srgt Maddox looks up as the cat bunny hops down the stairs of the jet a bit dazed. "If I hadn't seen the cat after animal control alerted us to possible foul play at Miss Roth's apartment I could never believe that is him. He just showed up on your door in Bludhaven?"

"My penthouse balcony actually."

"How do you think he found you?"

"Your guess is as good as mine on that one. As I said on the phone I haven't seen Rachel for years. Do you mind if I ask what she has been up to?"

"Miss Roth was a favorite with the children at the library while she worked her way through nursing school. After that she spent much of her time as a nurse and all her patients adored her. In her spare time she was active in many local charities. She taught mediation classes as well, they were quite popular with those in very stressful jobs."

The library is the only news that doesn't surprise Richard. That sounds just like the Raven that he knew but the rest is something he never would have guessed she would be doing at some point in her life. She could barely tolerate the rest of the team other people were just out of the question. But in another way it doesn't surprise him at all. She had joined the Titans to do all the good she could before the prophecy of her birth came true. Even though that prophecy was averted she is still doing all the good she can since the Titan's disbanded. "That doesn't sound like she was doing anything that would make her a target for abduction."

"Not since she has been here. Its her past that we have questions about...which is why I called you. I do have a car waiting to take you to a hotel. I thought we might discuss anyone you may know from her past that might be out to get her along the way."

Richard looks down at the cat who follows him as he walks to the waiting car. They clearly have no idea that Rachel is really the former Titan, Raven.

Srgt Maddox looks down at the cat who hops into the car as soon as the door is opened. "If only we had some way to talk to animals. He must have seen whoever kidnapped Miss Roth."

"I'm afraid I don't know as much about her past as you might think. We knew each other as teenagers. She was very secretive."

"Its her family history that we are currently exploring. A co-worker and close friend of Ms. Roth's at the hospital lead us to believe that her father might be an angle to pursue. The friend indicated that her mother ran away when she found out she was pregnant. Her mother is Angela Roth who did run away from home when she was a teenager."

"And by her father are you referring to the cult that Rachel's mother joined?"

"You seem to know more than you let on."

"Rachel told me about it once. I can see why you would suspect them knowing that. Was there any clue in the apartment that would lead you to believe the cult was behind it?"

"Miss Roth does have quite the collection of books related to the occult."

"Taking over the place by now, I would imagine. That was always an interest of hers. You mentioned that she was active in charities."

"Yes, especially those that gave a helping hand to the less fortunate."

Richard notices the cat perk up at the mention of that. "Did she perhaps upset someone?"

"You mean land developers that would put shopping malls where the homeless live? What big names hasn't she stood in the way of over the last few months. We have been exploring that angle from the beginning. It was my first instinct. I was hoping there was something she might have said to you. You must know something or I doubt the cat would have trekked half-way across the country to find you."

"I have a contact that might be able to help explore the development issue. I am afraid he only works alone and in secret."

"Right now we will take all the help we can get. I'm sure I don't have to tell you that the longer we wait the less chance there is of finding Miss Roth alive."

"I'll put in a call as soon as we reach the hotel."

Nitro looks up at Richard and meows a bit warily he doesn't fully understand the concept of heroes and their secret idenities.


	5. Chapter 5

**To respond to a review that didn't have a reply option...no I don't intend to bring the other aka former Titans, given the context of this story, into the mix. Its just about a quirky cat helping Nightwing find Raven. I don't want to over complicate it by bringing in more characters than I need to tell the story. Sorry that I missed last week...to much partying over the weekend.**

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><p>***5***<p>

At the hotel Richard checks out the balcony. He thinks this shouldn't be too hard as he turns around to look at the cat. "Want to do a little sleuthing?"

Nitro looks up clearly put off by that comment. He just sits there glaring up at Richard as he closes the door.

"Did I say something wrong little guy? I meant it would help if I could get into Raven's apartment and look around...you know see for myself just what she's been up to."

The cat huffs as he plops down on the floor while Richard retrieves his Nightwing costume from the suitcase. If he could only tell him just what the mistress had been up to in her spare time. He supposes he will have to settle for showing him.

Nightwing leaves the 'do not disturb' sign on the door knob and calls down to the lobby. "If a Srgt Maddox or anyone else calls for me please take a message and let them know I will call them back as soon as I wrap up some business calls." After hanging up with the desk clerk he leaves the phone off the hook.

Nitro looks up impressed. The mistress could have used some lessons from this guy. He knows she meant well but sometimes to get what she wanted she was just a little too careless.

Richard goes into the bathroom and changes into the Nightwing costume. Its been a very long time since he has been to Jump City. In some ways during the ride here it seems like nothing has changed-yet everything has at the same time. He checks the mask in the mirror before leaving the bathroom. He looks down at the cat. "Want to show me where Raven lived?"

The cat gets up and stretches before walking over to the balcony door and gives the man a look trying to convey that he should keep up.

Raven struggles to wake up as the drugs in her system try to drag her back down into that dark abyss. She fights her way back to consciousness refusing to be lost in that deep dark void again.

Nightwing follows the cat from rooftop to rooftop across several city blocks. More than once he thought the little guy wasn't going to make the jumps. Finally they stop on a small balcony. "This is it huh? Does Raven know you're such a little dare devil?"

Nitro ignores the man as he paws at the doormat.

At first Nightwing thinks the cat is sharpening his claws but then as he looks at the door knob he realizes the cat is trying to show him the key. He leans down and pulls back the mat to find a key duct taped to it. "Not much of a hiding place huh?" He removes the key and inserts it into the door knob.

The cat rushes into the apartment and makes a bee-line for his litter box.

Nightwing turns on a flashlight and looks around. The place is pretty much as the officer described.

After relieving himself he wanders back into the room. He finds it hard to believe this guy hasn't gotten it yet. He meows to get the man's attention.

He turns around to find the cat at the base of the bookshelf.

Nitro paws at the bookshelf until he pulls on the book that opens a hidden room.

"So that's how you knew where to look in my apartment?" Nightwing follows the cat into the hidden room. "He looks at Raven's old Titan uniform on a hanger but its the new one that catches his attention. "So I'm not the only one with a new secret identity." He looks up when the cat meows again from on top of the desk. He goes over to the cluttered desk and looks at some of the papers. It doesn't take him long to realize she could be in a lot of trouble. "What the hell has Raven been up to?"


	6. Chapter 6

**I couldn't resist sticking a bath towel scene in there for Nitro's character. The character is a cat after all and sometimes they can't resist a tempting plaything. And the real Nitro could never resist a fight with a bath towel.**

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><p>Raven opens her eyes only to find a man standing over her. "...You..."<p>

"Yes its me Rachel...or should I call you Nightingale?"

She looks up a little more with it now.

"I knew you were getting your information from her but I never dreamed that you were one in the same. Want to know what gave you away?" He continues when she doesn't respond. "One of my guys followed Nightingale on her last raid on the office looking for dirt that Rachel Roth could use to blackmail me. That guy has been in this city a very long time and he recognized the powers Nightingale used to disappear." He pauses looking down at her for a few moments. "I suppose I should just cut to the chase and call you Raven. Why dispose of the troublesome Rachel aka Nightingale when there is a profit to be made from powers like yours. Now why don't you save my scientists the trouble and very possibly your own life and tell me what it is that makes you tick?"

Raven struggles against the bonds that hold her prisoner. Right now she would like nothing more than to lash out at him and wipe that ugly smirk right off his face. "You and your scientists can all go to hell!" Since she can't hit him, Raven settles for spitting in his face.

Nightwing looks up from the papers as he hears the cat growling. He looks around to find that he has left the hidden room. He looks around warily wondering if someone else is here. He finds the cat outside the bathroom door. He watches as the cat hunkers low to the floor with eyes wide and ears flattened.

Nitro slowly stalks forward until he pounces on his prey.

Nightwing watches bewildered as the cat drags a bath towel down from the rod and proceeds to wrestle with it.

"You might say that bath towels are the little guy's kyrptonite."

Nightwing wheels around as he recognizes the voice.

"I thought he might bring you here."

"What in the hell-?"

"-hell indeed. It has been awhile Robin...or should I just call you Nightwing now?"

"Slade."

"That's Deathstroke now."

"A hired hit man...I shouldn't be surprised by that. Did you have something to do with Raven's disappearance?"

"If you really believed I was behind it, I don't think we would be standing here talking. Nightingale and I have worked together on a few occasions."

"I don't believe that."

"She struggled with her dark side for many years before she finally came back here to make a life for herself. In the end she never could quite get the heroine side of herself out of her system. I wager there are a great number of things she did in the past that you wouldn't believe. But we don't have time to stand here talking about it."

"Are you saying that you're here to help find Raven?"

Deathstroke crosses the room and picks up the cat who is now entangled in the bath towel. He unwraps the tight little ball he's gotten himself into.

Nitro looks up at the white-haired man with an eye-patch whom he hasn't seen in a very long time as he gulps fresh air. He thinks now they may finally have a shot at tracking down the mistress. He can't understand why the mistress sent him after the dark bird rather than the master, who is clearly better suited for the task at hand.

Deathstroke looks down at the cat who gazes up at him. "Lets just say I owe her one."

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><p><strong>I did say last week I wasn't bringing any other former Titans back...no one asked about the villains.<strong>


	7. Chapter 7

**This chapter gets a bit racy. I write on the spur of the moment, and sometimes I don't even know what is going to come out until its on screen. I needed a reason that the shadowy villain wouldn't want Raven talking ever again and I think I found one.**

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><p>***7***<p>

The man wipes his face with his palm, clearly disgusted. He backhands Raven hard across the face for daring to spit on him.

The blow leaves her ear ringing but she shakes it off.

"That wasn't a very smart thing to do." Trying to scare her, he caresses her breast before sliding his hand down her bare midriff. "I could hurt you very bad right now."

Raven looks up at him without fear. He has pissed her off and she can't hold her tongue. "You might not care about your trophy wife but would you really hurt your precious boyfriend?"

He draws his hand back gasping in shock.

"It isn't just your crooked business deals I know all about. You keep your underage boy toy up in your fancy new hotel downtown. You promised him that you would never be with another...not even your wife. As long as she keeps her affairs quiet and shows up to public functions on your arm you could care less about her."

"Who told you?"

"I'm really Raven remember? And you don't guard your thoughts very well. Any low level psychic could pick up your secret."

"You just signed your death warrant...once we get what we need from you of course." He takes out his cell phone and dials a number. "Get to the holding cell. Ms. Roth just can't stop fighting the drugs. Put her in one of those medical induced comas so she can't cause any trouble until we're done with her."

A figure hides in the shadows watching the exchange between his boss and Raven. Maybe he should have just kept her secret. Toying with her would have been so much more fun than watching her waste away here. But just maybe now that he knows some real dirt on the big boss man, he can pick up the game where Nightingale left off and make even more than what he is paid for his services. He looks up as the door to the little cell opens.

"Are you certain about this? She is very weak. We might never be able to wake her again."

"She has made it very clear she doesn't intend to co-operate. I am sure it would be easier for you and your team if she is kept unconscious."

The scientist glances back toward the lab across the hall. Even strapped down to the bed she had managed to injure several of his team until she was too weak from all the blood taken from her and that doesn't include all the guards who tried to force feed her. He nods solemnly as he starts an I. V. feed in her arm. She has proven to be quite the little she-demon but he would still like to get the secret of her powers first hand.

Raven is too weak to fight off the scientist. Part of her panics at the thought of this being the last waking moments she ever has...but then if she has to die before help arrives she would rather go out oblivious to what is going on around her. She draws in a sharp breath as the scientist injects coma inducing medicines into her system. Rather than Robin her mind seizes up on another from her past. She wonders if she should have sent for him instead. Her voice is so low as she slips off that no one can make out exactly what she says "...I will always care for you-"

_"-Even now after all we've been through you still can't say it."_

_"I can't allow myself to feel it...so how can I say it?"_

_"I thought your days as Raven were over."_

_"They are-"_

_"-Then why do you care what might happen if you give into your feelings?"_

_"I...I...I'm sorry I know what could happen and I just can't take that chance." She watches as Deathstroke gets up and crosses the room where he dresses. "Where are you going?"_

_"I could give up everything right now for you...just drop it all and stay with you forever. But I need all of you...mind, body, soul, and emotion..."_

"You owe her one?"

"It seems like a lifetime ago now." Deathstroke looks down at the cat who purrs in his arms and scratches him behind the ears. "I would have changed for her...but she...I walked away. I'm not proud of that. Had I stayed she would still be safe."

Nitro looks up at the master mewing softly trying to convey that he shouldn't blame himself. He was only trying to make the mistress believe in herself.

Nightwing looks from the cat to Deathstroke. "Are you trying to tell me that you and Raven were lovers?"


	8. Chapter 8

Cat Mystery-part 8

"Lovers?" Deathstroke sits the cat down on the sofa and untangles him from his favorite play toy then walks over to the balcony. "That depends on your definition of love. She was amazing in bed, but she would never commit emotionally." He pauses for a few moments looking back at the cat. "It may have been a good thing to restrain her emotions as a child and teenager." He looks up at Nightwing. "Surely even you must think that by now she can let loose and live a little."

Nightwing looks down as Nitro meows an emphatic agreement. "I don't understand how Raven could get mixed up with you."

"Not Raven, Nightingale." Deathstroke turns back to Nightwing. "Nightingale was nothing like the Raven that you remember."

"Mind filling me in on how Nightingale can be as dark as you imply while Rachel Roth has practically become a saint as far as Jump City is concerned?

"All I know about the change within her is that she found out sects of her father's cult were still in existence and she decided to wipe it out one way or another."

"So Nightingale was born because she couldn't let them find out she was Raven."

"They would have used her to bring Trigon back in heartbeat. If he were to ever be unleashed again there would be no stopping him."

"So she hired you to help her?"

"Not quite. I was hired to take out cult members corrupting the son of a very wealthy man and that is when our paths as Nightingale and Deathstroke crossed. I knew better than anyone the importance of her mission and as I am sure Nitro would tell you if he could the Nightingale persona only gets Raven into trouble. She is much darker and also more careless than Raven ever was."

Nitro again meows in agreement.

"I may have left but I kept an eye on her all this time because I knew even though the heroine in her was still there, so was Nightingale and eventually she was going to end up in trouble." He turns away from the window and faces Nightwing. "Are we going to stand here talking all night or get out there and find her?"

It seems like a lifetime ago when as Robin he worked with Slade to find Raven after Trigon was released. Can he now as Nightwing work with the mercenary Deathstroke to find the much loved Rachel and her dark Nightingale persona? He looks down at the cat that clearly trusts Deathstroke. "Any idea as to who is behind this?" He turns back to the hidden room. "She has enough to black mail every crooked business man in the city."

"I'm sure I can find out something from my old contacts. It might take some persuasion after all this time but getting them to talk won't be a problem."

"I have a police detective to get back in touch with." He takes a paper from the room which he jotted down some company names on. "I'll see what he thinks about these leads. Perhaps between the police and your contacts we'll narrow down the suspects."

He looks down at Raven's unconscious form then back up to the scientist. "You are certain she won't wake up."

"Weak as she is I very much doubt that she will ever wake again." He looks up at the boss who is looking at his watch.

"Very well then. I am off to a very important dinner meeting. I'm in a rush so on your way out have one of the guards call my wife and tell her I will be home late tonight."

The scientist watches the boss hurry out the door before he can reply. He looks down at the young woman one last time before leaving the room. She is comatose now but he still makes sure the door is locked.

The man hiding in the shadow's steps out into the dim light and leans close to Raven's ear. "Not that I'm in it for anyone other than myself but I'll continue your little game with the boss man." He presses a button on his belt and disappears from the locked room. He reappears on the roof and looks down as the boss climbs into a waiting limo. By the time he is finished with the big man he will own the company.


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry for the delay. I had a few things to deal with over the last several weeks when I wasn't busy working. Now I can get back to writing this story and hopefully finish it soon.**

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><p>Its been a long time since he has had occasion to be Red X. It feels good, like coming home in some respects. He perches in a vacant upstairs room in the building across the street from the upscale restaurant that he trailed the boss man to. "Important dinner meeting...with a guy young enough to be his grandson? Looks to me like Raven was right. Maybe I shouldn't have let them put her under after all. Nightingale and I could have made quite the criminal duo." He packs up his camera then heads off to a printing place. He should have just enough time to get some prints to surprise the boss man once he takes his boy toy back to his hotel.<p>

"Your contact works fast Mr. Grayson." Srgt Maddox looks over the information. "Rachel has blocked all of these companies at one point. Our theory is that she was working with the thief Nightingale, who ceased her activities only weeks before Rachel disappeared. I must admit that criminal or not we believe she may have been captured to. All of these companies would certainly like to see them both disappear. This last one was the only one to file a complaint against Nightingale's activities not long before she disappeared. My personal hunch is that they aren't as clean as they appear to be on the surface. The rest of the companies soon followed in their footsteps."

Richard looks down at the name. All the files on the desk were from this company. "My contact only provided me with the information I have given you. It disturbs me that Wayne Tech has worked with several of them. I feel I speak for Mr. Wayne himself in saying that he would not want his company involved in any way with others that would take part in what Rachel has been rebelling against. I wish we had known about this sooner. Perhaps we could have stepped in before anything happened."

"I understand the two of you are old friends but you can't blame her disappearance on yourself."

Deathstroke lingers in the small apartment. Police detectives might be good in their search for evidence but in covering his tracks to keep from getting caught he is better. There is a clue that will tell him exactly who took Raven. All he has to do is find it. It had to be someone stealthy that she wouldn't expect, a professional most likely and he can think of only one still in the city after all this time that fits the bill. He looks down at the cat. "Did you see anything?"

Nitro certainly saw it. The initial attack came from someone who just appeared in the apartment out of thin air, much like what the mistress can do, yet somehow different. He let the thugs who came in later to make it look like a robbery and locked him in the closet. If only he could talk...he goes over to where the man appeared next to the bookcase surprising the mistress as she was about to enter her secret room. They fought but she hadn't used her powers. She could have saved herself if she hadn't been so intent on hiding her past as former Teen Titan Raven." He had tried to help but he is only one small cat. He brightens up as he remembers clawing a piece from the man's cape. He looks around frantically finally disappearing under the sofa.

Deathstroke kneels down as the cat comes back out with a scrap of cloth. He might be better than the police but even he has his limits when it comes to a cat. He looks at the scrap of cloth that Nitro hands him. "Red X." He looks up as a breeze seems to brush by him. On it he smells a certain rare fragrance that could only have come from Azarath. "Raven?"

_"Help me please...I don't know how much longer I can hold on."_

"Raven where are you?"

The only response he receives is Nitro's sad mewing as the mistress' presence fades from the room.


	10. Chapter 10

**I realize that I never gave the bad guy a name before. I let my cousin do the honors since this story features her departed cat Nitro.**

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><p>After his meeting with Srgt Maddox, Richard soon finds himself back at the hotel to wait for Deathstroke and learn what he was able to find out. He still has reservations about working with the villain, but if it is what he has to do in order to find Raven then so be it. As he steps into the lobby a short pudgy balding man follows him inside.<p>

He let his young escort go up to the room first to keep from arousing suspicion that they are indeed lovers. He allows his eye to wander to the young man in the elevator. The man is not as young as his lover, he thinks, but still quite handsome.

The way the strange man looks at him makes Richard very uncomfortable. He finds himself wishing that he was outside scaling the wall as Nightwing.

"Have we met somewhere before? I must admit you look awfully familiar."

"I don't think so."

"Still I'm sure I have seen you somewhere before...give me a moment and I'm sure it will come to me." He looks at the floor the man punches. That alone tells him the man is very well off. Rooms here don't come cheap but one must be rich to be on such a lavish floor. "No...you couldn't be. Richard Grayson of Wayne Tech...one of the most eligible bachelors in the country. Forgive me my wife reads all those sensationalist magazines."

For some reason Richard finds himself doubting its this guy's wife that reads them. "Guilty as charged I'm afraid."

"It is certainly a pleasure to meet you Mr. Grayson. I'm Peter Cox from Cox & Young Architecture. We have worked with Wayne Tech to outfit many of our buildings with the latest state of the art technology. Your company does amazing work."

"Thank you Mr. Cox. I will be sure to pass that on to Mr. Wayne." The name of the company sparks Richard's interest it was where all the files on the desk were from."

"What brings you all the way out to Jump City?"

Did this man have something to do with Raven's disappearance? He decides to try and gage the man's reaction. "A friend of mine is missing. I have a P. I. on her trail. Perhaps you have heard of her, Rachel Roth."

He tries to hide his shock over hearing that this man is a friend of Rachel Roth. "Who hasn't? She is very active in local charity work. I'm so sorry to hear that she's missing."

Richard takes a good look at the man as he becomes certain that this man has played at least some part in Raven's disappearance. "My P. I. has some leads so I hope to find her soon or if it comes to the worst those responsible."

"If there is anything I can do please let me know."

"Thank you." Richard doesn't miss the look of relief on the man's face as the elevator stops and he gets out leaving the man alone.

_Slade...I feel you...I'm so weak please hurry._ Raven looks around at least this time she is in her dark mindscape. Its darker than usual she thinks as she looks up at the sky. There seem to be fewer stars than she remembers. The path isn't forming either. She is left floating on a seemingly lone asteroid. At least it is better than falling. Tears begin to fall from her eyes as she thinks of Slade. She wouldn't be in this mess if only she had the courage to give him what he wanted.

On the roof of the hotel Deathstroke has tracked down Red X.

Red X stops after finishing his errand when he sees the glowing of a lit cigarette.

"How many years as it been? I'm surprised you still fit into the suit after all this time."

"Slade...it has been awhile."

"That's Deathstroke now."

"What brings you back to Jump City?"

"Raven. Seen her lately?"

"The Titans cleared out years ago. You know that."

"But she came back and I have the feeling that you know more than you're telling. If I find out you know where she is and you don't tell me it will take more than that suit to protect you."

"Information still costs the same as always. You know the drill. The old meeting place is still there for now. Better hurry if you want to find out what it is that I know."

Deathstroke watches as the villain leaves. He has to catch the cat to keep him from chasing after him. "Not now, Nitro. We will find out what he knows very soon."


	11. Chapter 11

**He's back! I'm talking about that loveable little daredevil of a mystery cat...the fictional version of him anyway. Once this story is done it will probably be my last writing venture. At least as far as the Teen Titans are concerned. I would like to try venturing into some other series if I ever have the time. I usually don't have time to write because of work these days.**

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><p>***11***<p>

He is shaking by the time that he reaches his lover's room. He can't get rid of a Wayne Tech branch president-especially not one that is connected to Rachel Roth.

"There you are I was beginning to worry. Are you okay?"

"Fine...just a little winded I decided to take the stairs."

"The doctor after you to adopt healthier habits again?"

"Something like that."

He hands a package to the big man. "This was waiting on the bed when I came in. Its addressed to you."

"Who would possibly leave something for me here?" He opens the package to find pictures from their dinner earlier-private dinner ones where he got a little fresh with his lover boy after several drinks. He shakes the package but there are no negatives. "I have to go."

"Is something wrong."

"There is a problem at the office. We'll have to postpone the fun until some other night. I'll take you to that fancy french place you like next time to make it up to you." He embraces his lover before he quickly rushes out the door-unaware that they are being photographed outside the window. Who he wonders besides the bothersome Nightingale could know about him. Could it possibly be the P. I. that Grayson mentioned?

Now fully dressed as Nightwing again he sits on the bed contemplating all he learned about Deathstroke and Nightingale working to together...and lovers to boot. The latter is a little more than his brain can comprehend at the moment. He looks up as Deathstroke comes in from the balcony with Nitro.

"Red X knows where Raven is. Its just a matter of making him talk."

"Red X?"

"He is up to something and we may have to get a little rough to get it out of him before he finishes whatever game it is he is playing.

"I met the Peter Cox of Cox and Young Architecture in the elevator coming up here. I mentioned I was an old friend of Rachel's just to see how he would react."

"And?"

"He's involved in her disappearance somehow."

"We need to find Raven soon. I felt her somehow. She's weak and growing weaker. I'm afraid she may not be able to last much longer."

"What do you think our next move should be?"

"I've arranged to meet with Red X. He will be expecting us shortly."

Down at the docks Red X turns from the misty ocean to face Deathstroke. "I see you brought company. Looks like bird boy grew up. I approve of the new look." He looks down at the cat. "Never pegged either of you as cat guys though."

Nightwing looks over at Deathstroke before speaking. "We know that Cox and Young are behind Raven's disappearance."

So Nightingale let her information slip in case something happened to her. I'm liking her more and more all the time."

Its all Deathstroke can do to restrain himself at that comment.

"Tell us where they're holding her and maybe I'll let you go free the thieve another day. If not then I won't stand in Deathstroke's way if he decides to terminate you. Hell I might even hire him for the job."

"Darker personality to fit the darker look. I like that." He looks down as he gets a call on his cell phone. "You two might want to wait here while I take this." He walks down the dock a little ways to answer it. "What's on your mind at this time of night boss?"

"A private detective is looking into the disappearance of Rachel Roth at the direction of a Wayne Tech bigwig that knew her. I want you to get rid of her now before it gets linked to me."

"The doc won't be happy about that."

"To hell with what the doc wants. We will all be ruined if anyone finds out we are the ones behind this. I don't care how you do it just get rid of her tonight."

Red X grins as he puts up his cellphone and walks back to the others. "It would seem its your lucky night. Cox is spooked by some P. I. and wants me to get rid of Raven for him. It's going to be a mess when all is said and done-one that even Red X can't get out of. You want Raven-I know where she is."

Deathstroke speaks up. "What's your price?"

"My alter ego as head of Cox and Young's security force and as such is the informant for this mystery P. I. who I would wager is none other than the former Robin on top of my regular fees of course."

Deathstroke tosses him a satchel of money.

"I'll take her straight to a hospital and tell the cops all about the boss as long as this P. I. shows up to back me up." He hands over the negatives and undeveloped film. "These might come in handy in getting Cox to come clean. If you know where to find that dirt that Nightingale had on the company that would help to. It will take me a few hours to get in and out with Raven. That should give you enough time to get things ready."

Nitro mews loudly.

Deathstroke looks down at the cat and back up to Red X. "I believe that means he's going with you."


	12. Chapter 12

**I had a question in a review about why risk using Red X instead of confronting Cox about Raven if I understood it right. Red X they may not trust but they know, sort of, and in most of his appearances in the cartoons who ever he is he usually ends up doing good case in point the episodes X and the one with Ding Dong Daddy. Cox they didn't know and weren't going to risk him disposing of Raven before they could find her if he was really behind the kidnapping as they suspected. X was an insider at the company and sort of one step ahead of them anyway in a black mail game with Cox so it made sense to use him for the job.  
><strong>

**I had a lot of fun with this chapter-I hope everyone out there finds it as enjoyable to read as it was to write.**

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><p>***12***<p>

Red X looks down at the cat hidden under the trench coat he wears as he enters the building. "I don't know what you plan to do little guy. I should have left you in the van. This is going to be an easy in and out." He slides his card in slot at the elevator and punches what looks like a random selection of floor numbers that is really a code that takes them to a secret lab.

The doctor looks up as the head of security enters the lab.

"You're here late."

"The boss called."

"You don't look happy. I told him you wouldn't be."

"That girl is too important to medical science. I need more time with her. She can't be tossed away just because the boss is spooked by some P. I."

"You want to keep her just for that? You won't be doing anything other than time in a jail cell if that P. I. tracks the girl's kidnapping to the company. I for one don't intend to end up there and I'm guessing since he sent me the boss doesn't want that either."

"Give me until morning with her at least."

"No can do. The boss wants her gone now."

"I can't let that happen." He picks up a dart gun the guards used to sedate the girl during the first several days after she was brought here. "You can take her out of here when I'm done and not before."

Before the doctor can fire the dart gun, Nitro quickly leaps out of Red X's coat and jumps on the doctors head. He sinks his claws in deep and bites down on his ear. Growling loudly as he throws a glance at Red X.

As the doctor flails around trying to get the cat off his head he breaks test tubes and beakers all around the room.

Red X gets the message and heads down the hall. He is stopped by the guard coming to see what the ruckus is about.

"What's going on in there?"

"A cat got into the lab somehow. Doc is freaking out. I would help get it out but I'm allergic. Would you mind?" He continues as the guard starts to object. "Its not like she's going anywhere but I'll keep an eye on her until you get the cat out."

The guard shrugs there really doesn't seem to be any harm in it.

As he starts through the door to the lab Red X quickly grabs the gun from the guard and clocks him in the head with it. He can't afford anymore interference. He pockets the gun as he slides his key card in the door outside the room Raven is in.

In the lab Nitro digs his claws into the doctors eyes and yanks his ear. He lets go and jumps clear as the man staggers hard into a wall braining himself. He hisses at the man before bounding hard into his groin as he starts out of the lab. He makes a quick detour to a computer where he presses a series of buttons with his paw that causes the memory to be wiped clean. He then runs around checking cabinets pulling out beakers and vials breaking everything he finds with any hint of the mistress scent in it. He stops at a cold cabinet with several packets in it. These maybe important so he leaves them alone. He heads back to the doctor sniffs him then pulls out a computer back up device from the pocket of his lab coat. He slips his head into the wrist strap. As the guard starts to come too Nitro pounces on his head on the way out of the room making him brain himself on the floor.

From a pay phone after retrieving Nightingale's files, Nightwing makes a call to the police station. He waits to be connected to Srgt. Maddox.

"Srgt. Maddox here, Mr. Grayson."

"My P. I. found Rachel. He is going to meet you at the hospital along with the man that from the company responsible that informed him of her whereabouts. I hope it won't be a problem that my P. I. guaranteed the man a plea bargain in exchange for his cooperation. I understand the situation is dire."

"I will personally speak to the D. A. about it Mr. Grayson. I will be at the hospital shortly."

"I'm expecting a call from Mr. Wayne and I'm afraid it can't wait. I will be there as soon as I can."

Red X listens to Raven's breathing its really shallow. He looks down as the cat meows loudly. "I'm hurrying." He removes the I. V. from Raven and carefully picks her up. "She's weak I don't know if she's going to make it to the hospital."

Nitro follows closely at Red X's heels as he carries Raven to the elevator. He meows very loudly before he steps on to it.

Red X looks down confused. "What-?" As he looks down he spies the open refrigeration unit where the blood drawn from Raven is stored. "You are one smart little cat."

Nitro paws at a medical cooler sitting under a cabinet.

Red X holds Raven carefully in one arm as he takes the lid off. Several pints of the blood are already in it. "Doc was going to sneak out here with company research." He puts the others in the cooler quickly.

The cat turns hissing at the doctor again. Disgusted with the man he does his business on his head as Red X finishes up.

"If your done showing the doc how much you hate what he did to Raven we better get out of here."

Nitro hisses at the doctor again before he runs into the elevator. He jumps up and punches the lobby button before hopping up on to X's shoulder. He purrs loudly into the mistress' ear.

In her dark mindscape Raven weakly opens her eyes. "Nitro..."


	13. Chapter 13

**This is the final chapter of this story. I hope I did the real life Nitro justice. Rest in peace little guy. You will live forever in all the hearts of all the lives you touched while you were here.**

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><p>***13***<p>

Several hours later Nightwing watches from a nearby roof as police raid the Cox and Young offices. He glances over as Deathstroke steps up beside him.

"I spoke with Cox personally as long as his secret affair with the guy Red X got pictures of him with stays secret he won't say a word about Rachel and Nightingale being the same person."

"And Nightingale's disappearance?"

"Maybe she just moved on before Rachel was kidnapped. No reason Nightwing can't say he's spotted her in Bludhaven. No one can prove that anymore than they can prove she and Rachel was one in the same at this point." He turns to Deathstroke. "Shouldn't you be at the hospital?"

"You're the one she sent the cat for."

"And your the one who felt her getting weaker. I think it would do her more good to wake up and see you than me. Besides she needs someone who can keep her out of trouble if she gets the urge to run off and play Nightingale again."

At the hospital Nitro hides under the bed as a nurse comes into the room. He peeks out as the nurse checks the I. V. it seems to be a very good thing that he found the blood drawn from her in the lab. Despite getting it back she is still very weak. As the latest nurse leaves the room he waits for the door to close then leaps back up on the pillow-purring in Raven's ear.

In her dark mindscape Raven sits up-feeling a little stronger now. When she looks around she sees the asteroids coming together to form the familiar path. She manages to get to her feet and walk.

Nitro purrs louder urging her on. He isn't about to let her give up and be stuck forever in some mental limbo. If only the master would get her to pull her from it.

Later Deathstroke finds himself on the roof of the hospital. The last encounter he has with Raven rings clearly in his mind as he crushes the cigarette he is smoking under his boot heel before heading inside.

_ "...I will always care for you-"_

_ "-Even now after all we've been through you still can't say it."_

_ "I can't allow myself to feel it...so how can I say it?"_

_ "I thought your days as Raven were over."_

_ "They are-"_

_ "-Then why do you care what might happen if you give into your feelings?"_

_ "I...I...I'm sorry I know what could happen and I just can't take that chance." She watches as Deathstroke gets up and crosses the room where he dresses. "Where are you going?"_

_ "I could give up everything right now for you...just drop it all and stay with you forever. But I need all of you...mind, body, soul, and emotion..."_ Before he knows it Deathstroke finds himself inside 'Rachel's' private room looking down at her unconscious form.

Nitro looks up at the master expectantly wondering what he's waiting for.

In her mind Raven stumbles near the edge of one of the asteroids. She barely manages to hang on. She's so weak-she knows if she falls she will be lost in the darkness forever. She cries out slipping as the crumbling edge of the rock starts to give way.

Finally Deathstroke takes Raven's hand in his as Nitro meows loudly. "To hell with emotion I'll settle for whatever else you have to offer."

Raven looks up as something grasps her hand keeping her from falling into the darkness. She tries to shield her eyes from the light that invades the darkness. When they adjust she sees Deathstroke there by the bed. "You...came..."

"And I don't intend to leave again."

Nitro looks up at Richard who stands in the doorway.

The jingling of the charms on Nitro's collar catches Raven's attention. She reaches up weakly stroking the cats fur.

Richard turns as he spots Srgt. Maddox down the hall. He gets his attention so that Raven can have some time alone with the men in her life after all she must have been through the last several weeks.

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><p><strong>Its a rather abrupt ending that leaves one wanting more. It slips my mind as to who said and where but the phrase "Always leave the audience wanting more" is just what I'm doing here. As I said elsewhere in another story <span>I DON'T DO SEQUELS<span> so this is the ending of this story.**


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